Research Funding cycle: 2016-21

There are approximately 200,000 sewer blockages throughout the UK every year. It is estimated around 75% are caused by FOG (Mills, 2010). Problems caused by FOG in the sewer system not only affect the performance of the sewer system and waste water treatment works (WWTW) but may also reduce asset life and increase maintenance costs. This will have an economic impact on the responsible water authorities and will ultimately be reflected in increased prices for customers.

This report is in response to a request from SEPA via CREW to highlight examples of monitoring where personal monitors have the potential to be, or currently are, being used. In this report, we review existing technology for acquiring, processing and reporting on environmental data in the field. The objective is to demonstrate whether or not it is possible to use off-the-shelf technology for water monitoring.

This report, in response to a call down request by SEPA, aims to collate existing information on forest management practices from national and international case studies. It reviews the effectiveness of these measures to help reduce non-point sources of pollution entering water courses.

This short newsletter is produced quarterly and provides updates on CREW projects, publications and the use of CREW outputs in the policy environment.

On the 19th of February, 2013 a practitioners’ NFM workshop was held in Edinburgh. The main objective of the workshop was to exchange knowledge about practical aspects of NFM implementation. By gathering NFM practitioners together and people researching the impacts of NFM, key sticking points and suggested solutions could be shared to avoid duplicated resources. A total of 33 participants attended from a range of organisations including the James Hutton Institute, Scottish Government, several universities, SEPA, OPW, consultancies and rivers trusts (see participant list in Appendix I).

Part of the WFD Article 5 reporting requirements is an element of horizon scanning to the middle of this century to identify potential risks to water quality from diffuse pollution driven by future land use and climate change.

This poster presented at the Knowledge Exchange Scotland: Policy Impact and Practice Conference held in Edinburgh in October 2012, evaluates science policy interfaces such as CREW.

This work was commissioned under the CREW call down service. The object of the project was to carry out a literature search on the effects of switching from chlorine to monochloramine for water disinfection, specifically with regards to the effects on lead and copper corrosion. Information was sought on current understanding of disinfectant choice on lead and copper corrosion; the lessons learned from a Washington case study, and guidance on the appropriate sampling protocol for lead and copper measurements.

A key guiding principle is that the use of organic wastes as a fertiliser should only be used on land that would normally be fertilised as part of its management regime otherwise it becomes a waste disposal route rather than a beneficial recycling activity. This is paramount to both the external perception of the activity and to environmental protection.